Such an electric terminal is, for instance, known from EP 1 617 521 B1. The contact beam and the reinforcement beam are orientated perpendicular relative to each other achieving the L-shaped cross-section of the spring arm. The reinforcement beam is only connected to the contact beam at a tip end of the contact spring arm. At an opposite side of the tip end and of the contact spring arm the reinforcement wall is connected to one of the side walls of the contact portion. The contact beam is connected to the top wall of the contact portion. The contact beam and the reinforcement beam are only connected to each other at the tip end of the contact spring arm and are not connected to each other in the area of the further extension of the contact spring arm. This, however, limits the contact force which can be applied from the contact spring arm on a complimentary contact element.
DE 197 45 532 A1 also discloses an electric terminal as mentioned above. The contact spring arm also has an L-shaped cross-section having a contact beam and a reinforcement beam. The contact beam is connected to the top wall and the reinforcement beam to one of the side walls of the contact portion. The reinforcement beam is connected to the contact beam integrally and reaches over almost the entire length of the contact beam. The reinforcement beam, however, does not reach to the tip end of the contact beam. The tip end of the contact beam is bent upwardly in direction towards the top wall in order to form a contact point to be brought into contact with a complimentary contact element. The upwardly bent tip end of the contact beam can only be manufactured if in this region the contact beam does not have an L-shaped cross-section. Further, the complete contact spring arm is inclined towards the bottom wall and is, except for the tip end of the contact spring arm, linear, i.e. not bent.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an electric terminal which can be easily manufactured and which provides a high contact force of the contact spring arm.